/ world today news/ “Carefree childhood” – a phrase increasingly devoid of meaning. For children to be carefree, adults must think and care for them. That’s how it was, that’s how it should be. But the transition years changed the habits and behavior of all of us, overwhelmed the children with care for their own cheerful “carelessness”.
The grandparents and parents of today’s children played sports, attended clubs, sang and danced when they had the time, not if they had the money to afford it. Our market timing changed our thinking. Today, before saying they want to play sports, sing or dance, most children ask their parents if they can pay. I wonder how twenty-five years ago, when the number of school-age children exceeded a million and a half, there was an opportunity for every child to find himself in sports or in the arts – either in school, or in community centers or in sports clubs, and today, when our children are a million less, this is impossible without a solid payment from the family budget. Back then, the state paid, and society accepted it as completely normal and natural. Now parents pay … who can. For the children of those who can’t pay, there are enough coffee shops, there are drug dealers and all kinds of scum that lurk in the streets. And society again accepts it as normal and natural. Well, either case is neither normal nor natural.
At the same time, all institutions – ministries, agencies and the like – are talking in one voice about the care of the state and society for children, for their health and for the support of their talents. The allocated funds are insufficient, but there is still something in both schools and extracurricular units. And that is why it is even more unacceptable when someone tries to pinch from these funds. Not long ago, the well-known association “Muzikautor” demanded payment of copyrights for the music, songs and texts used by the clubs and groups in the National Children’s Palace. In a letter signed by Konstantin Stoyanov, manager of “Concert Licensing”, it is demanded to “settle” the copyrights, understand – to pay them. It cites a section of the Copyright and Related Rights Act which provides for this. And in the case of non-fulfillment of the provision, dizzying fines of up to BGN 30,000.00 are cited for the educational sector, and there is even a threat of prosecution. And all these threats are directed at a national educational institution. Probably the mentioned gentleman has difficulty distinguishing between a concert in a drinking establishment and in the Children’s Palace. This person’s morals are very disturbing, because in the same Copyright and Related Rights Act, which he should know in detail, it is clearly written “Art. 24, paragraph 1 Without the consent of the copyright holder and without payment of remuneration, it is permissible: … item 8. the public presentation and public performance of published works in educational or other educational institutions, if no cash receipts are received and no remuneration is paid to the participants in the preparation and implementation of the presentation or performance” etc. 9. “the reproduction in necessary quantities of already published works by publicly accessible libraries, educational or other educational institutions, museums and archival institutions, for educational purposes or for the purpose of preserving works, if this does not serve commercial purposes”. What to think about the convenient passing of some legal texts and reference to others. I suspect this letter is just a sample. If it passes without a public reaction, similar letters will be received by the thousands of schools and kindergartens, the centers for work with children, which are barely making ends meet anyway. And for whom the only option will remain – to close school choirs, singing groups, choreographic ensembles. And the children – well, for them we said that places are provided in the neighborhood cafes, as well as the company of drug dealers and other social scum. I wonder if the “Music Author” in question is so financially strapped that he’s trying to pilfer the kid talent development pennies like a neighborhood bully? This letter is a reflection of gross market thinking, reckless profiteering and distorted morality. It is likely to be counted on that in educational circles they would be startled by the legal provisions cited and pay to avoid angering important copyright holders. Without a doubt, “Muzikautor” relies on well-paid and qualified lawyers. I wonder what you would call a person who knowingly misleads someone in order to procure funds for their own benefit and how would you qualify such behavior?
Now is the time for the state to react and protect the rights of our children. The Ministry of Education is responsible for activities with children, including extra-curricular and out-of-school activities, and has issued hundreds of pages of regulations, plans and guidelines. Now he must leave the clerical calm, state a position and demand an explanation for the “Musikautor” misdeeds. The Ministry of Culture must clearly state whether it will impose the mentioned fines on educational institutions – schools, kindergartens, centers for working with children – or whether it will act as a worthy guardian of national spirituality.
#children #pay..
